The AIADMK co-coordinator, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, on Thursday urged the State government not to insist on the implementation of paddy procurement through online registration in view of difficulties being faced by farmers in following the new system of registration for procurement.
In a statement, he said the farmers were not familiar with online registration, for which they had to seek help from others. Besides, the process required authentication by officials of the Revenue Department.
All this had instilled a sense of fear among the agriculturists that the harvested paddy would go waste or had to be sold to intermediaries at rock bottom prices. There was an estimate that by the end of February, the direct purchase centres (DPCs) would witness the arrival of 30 lakh tonnes.
To overcome the problem, the government should open more DPCs; follow the conventional system of procurement; keep enough stock of tarpaulin sheets, gunny bags and jute, and employ manpower in adequate strength, Mr. Palaniswami added.
In a separate statement, the party’s former interim general secretary, V.K. Sasikala, said there were reports of small farmers not being ableto havethe registration doneon account of their details of landholdings, which were not allowed by the online system. There was also apprehension that the DMK government, through its measures,was notkeen on paddyprocurement.
In another development, deploring the move of the Sri Lankan authorities to auction the impounded fishing boats belonging to fishermen of Tamil Nadu,the AIADMK’s coordinator, O. Panneerselvam,urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to exert sufficient pressure on the Central government and ensure that the boats were returned to the rightful owners.
